And although this statement may be true to some degree, it is preposterous to think that youth sports are too intense based simply on the fact that they are stressful. The media teaches people simply that sports leads to horrific injuries and can cause stress, but what the mainstream media hardly discusses are the great benefits of competitive sports. If it is, that's a guaranteed set-up for. Even though it wasnt the most enjoyable, t taught me how to stay focuseand just move through it. People argue that competitive sports can destroy self-esteem and lead to dissatisfaction. In addition, a lot of parents say theyd rather see their kids playing sports than spending their free time on their phones or playing video games. When they play more than one sport it helps them develop skill that they can use in other sports. Organized youth sports are extremely popular among youth and their families, with approximately 45 million children and adolescent participating in the US. There are many characteristics children can develop while playing sports such as confidence, self-esteem, and leadership. Most sports have situations that put athletes in tight spots. Just to protect themselves some children back out of many games and are left behind when it comes to the development of their bodies. The media teaches people simply that sports leads to horrific injuries and can cause stress, but what the mainstream media hardly discusses are the great benefits of competitive sports. Going along with the childrens families, the parents of these young athletes are spending large amounts of money to make their kid the best and go onto the professional league. This book not only takes a look into youth sports today it will expose a lot of the negativity surrounding it. Do you think the six recommendations outlined in the article should be followed? The author is also of the view that the high hopes of parents and coaches need to be lowered as well. A boy cheers with a childish grin on his face. A crowd of parents and family fill the bleachers with cheers in their mouths. These burdening high expectations can cause trouble to the innocent mind of the child. Also, training to become a star athlete can be expensive. Parents often do not like to see their child fail in a sport they want them to succeed in (Wallace). Should kids play competitive sports? Pediatricians recommend limiting sports participation to five days a week. Maybe you can fix some factors and rekindle their interest. Against a backdrop of increasing childhood obesity, the physical benefits of sports participation are clear. Youth Sports Are Too Intense 1555 Words | 7 Pages. Firstly, he believes the perseverance it takes to show up for hard practices is useful later in life. Youth sports are something that almost every child in America tries, some kids want to become professional athletes, but for some they know right away that sports are not for them. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. It depends. Furthermore, he states that each player has a place on the team, this provides each player with self-affirmation. What are the benefits and drawbacks of focusing so deeply on one sport at an early age? In my past, competitive sports has not been a great memory of mine. Are Youth Sports too Intense? There seems to be a growing fear among parents, and that fear is that if your child doesnt start seriously training in elementary, they will have no chance becoming athletes good enough for varsity in high school (Matz). Youth Sports Are Too Intense "In the United States, about 20 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and younger get hurt annually playing sports or participating in recreational activities" (Lucile Parkland Children's Hospital). Are youth sports too intense? The focus aspect of the fundamentals are: exercising, making new friends, learning sportsmanship, and developing social and sports skills. In fact, were learning from research and anecdotal evidence that there is actually an opportunity for athleticism to improve if you expose the body to different sports and different movements.. Some parents hope for a scholarship to make their sports investments worthwhile. Youth sports are an exceptional way to keep kids focused on academics and out of trouble. The writer further explains that the idea of winning sometimes causes severe injuries that may prevail for a lifetime. Youth sports are becoming too intense for young children to keep up with. The coaches and parents have high hopes for their children that result in the pressure building. Self-esteem is tied to sports performance. In fact, sports promote more of a healthy lifestyle. Competitive nature can assist the children in their life later on, but the focus should be on better mental and physical health. Studies have shown the fundamentals of youth sports are supposed to provide kids with fun, keep a child focused and fuel the basic. Claiming that organized sports are not satisfying nor beneficial for young children, Statsky expresses her concerns over a few issues. In fact, according to "Are High School Sports Good For Kids?" while opponents say they are dangerous because there are over millions of kids who get hurt by play contact youth sports. her career earnings to date. Furthermore, the writer states that this sport becomes job like. In the U.S., about 30 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, and more than 3.5 million injuries each year claims Stanford Childrens Health. They have their pros and cons. Check back soon for more announcements and tutorials. Would you want your own child to be on a highly competitive sports team at a young age? For some young athletes, this inflated sense of potential can make it difficult to bond with peers at school. Competition can help kids learn more, improve faster and reach a higher level of excellence than they would be able to without the ongoing challenge. Along with the rise of Sport Specialization, concerns pertaining to a childs physical and psychological health have begun to increase as well. Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. Children tend to depend on the knowledge of others to figure out problems for them. Despite what many experts would like you to believe, both of these statements are completely true. Others burn out from all the pressure. My third and final reason of competitive. I believe youth sports will help all of those problems and many more. Statistics show thatonly 2% of high school athletes earn scholarships. When it is not encouraging, this pressure from coaches and parents becomes extreme and adds a huge amount of stress to the youth athletes. Competing in these sports causes the children to be vulnerable to many risks and many other negative impacts. Here are six risks and six benefits that parents of athletes of all ages should consider as they help their kids navigate the world of sport. The core question: Are youth sports too competitive? (Word count: 196). Many children who are pushed into a sport will involuntarily injure themselves so they do not have to continue participating (Stenson). Over 3.5 million children and teens ages six to fourteen are injuring themselves purposely participating in sports they do not want to participate in. Even if you dont see suspect behaviors, check in on your childs feelings. Many coaches are now treating their players like Military recruits. The families of these children not only spend hundreds of dollars, but also are one of the top reasons youth sports have become so intense. Others argue however, that sports help to teach young athletes the values of discipline and hardwork. One piece of evidence, 68 percent of moms polled say their childrens involvement in youth sports causes stress in for them. Your ultimate goal should be fostering enjoyment, health, and growth for your kids. In Do Sports Build Character or Damage it? Mark Edmundson explains the pros and cons of children who grow up playing football. Note: Figures are estimates for basketball and football only. Even though some believe that youth sport programs should be less intense they still believe that all sports are helping the youth grow up to be leaders for the next generation. Proponents believe youth sports have benefits such as help kids be in shape teaches them how to be a leader and let them have fun playing a sport that they love. As the culture of youth athletics spirals out of control, it is the parents responsibility to save the child from short-term and, unfortunately, long-term damage. But is the push for excellence taking a physical and mental toll ? Other kids spend many hours per week training, traveling, and competing. With the intensity increasing, childrens time is decreasing. They say its also a great way to bond with teammates and meet kids from other states. Competitive sports involve sports where competition is encouraged, and where winning is more important than anything else. The fun aspect of the fundamentals are: decreasing injuries, increasing enthusiasm and eagerness, and prolonging the involvement in sports. Nonetheless, if parents are letting their sons play this game, they understand the risks of their sons getting injured. Some kids are natural athletes and show more talent than other kids their own age. Youth Sports Are Too Intense "In the United States, about 20 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and younger get hurt annually playing sports or participating in recreational activities" (Lucile Parkland Children's Hospital). The intensity of sports can make or break a person. She claims that the games are not festive but they end up in the wrong development of a childs brain. 3 October 2017 Only you can decide if a more competitive approach is best for your kids and your league. Access this article and hundreds more like it with a subscription toScholastic Newsmagazine. To most kids and students, competitive sports are a gateway to blow off some steam or to have fun. Theres no doubt that competitive sports increase costs,pressures, and risks of injury. In addition, equal chances should be provided to every child to participate. Playing youth sports is a terrific experience for you or your child. Are Youth Sports Becoming too Intense? Are any of them more important than others? Many people all around the nation are in debate whether or not high school football should remain a sport. Far too many high school athletes get concussions from playing football (Watson 35). Parents want their kids to succeed and do well, but many are now going way overboard (Exchange). Youth sports ages are considered to be high school sports and below. This changes the purpose of sports from teaching tolerance, teamwork and sportsmanship to merely winning by all means. In some sports, you can find elite and traveling teams catering to children as young as six-years-old. Competitive sports can also help keep kids active and healthy as they grow, along with decreasing other distractions that may lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, early sport specialization is the leading causes of sports-related injury. All the players form a perfect positioning and hand off the ball. Early Sport Specialization may lead to greater risks in a childs life such as injuries. Participation in sports has become common among children and adults. They have been more involved and effect the childs performance. One of the reasons for this is that sport specialization is up to a record high 25 percent(Sirs). What might be the benefits of playing two or more sports rather than just one during the year? It is a very controversial topics in our community. Should kids play competitive sports? If you have doubts, know that most of the upper echelon of professional athletes played several sports in high school. Competitive nature can assist the children in their life later on, but the focus should be on better mental and physical health. (204 words), In Children Need to Play, Not Compete, Jessica Statsky tries to demonstrate the negative effect of organized sports on the physical and psychological health of growing child. Instead of being a source of healthy growth, these competitive sports have started becoming the source of depression for children when they dont fulfil the expectations of their parents. You may learn that your childs passion for the sport has waned. And there are many private coaches who offer sport-specific skills training to kids. In your opinion, do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, or vice versa? With so many kids participating it was bound to become something of discussing. Youth sports are meant to be a way for kids to be active, learn basic skills, and have fun. Allowing the youth to participate in sports is frequently considered a great way to develop leadership skills and an appreciation for individual and team accomplishments (Sailor). I believe that kids should be allowed to play competitive sports due to the health benefits, the lessons that they can teach, and as a result of the advanced equipment and rules that are focused on making sports safe, as well as the fact that sports can keep kids out of trouble. For example, a competitive environment teaches kids how to handle pressure and criticism (Mango 3). Using information you learned in the article as well as examples from your own life, film a short video where you explain your opinion. However, endless numbers of parents across the nation have numerous opinions on their sons playing football or not. He falls over in joy. (Word count: 196). If the situation doesnt feel right, keep looking for a good fit for your child. The rest of the children who are part of these games are in a constant pressure from their parents and coaches that cause the stress and anxiety. Kids should play competitive sports because competitive sports teach children powerful life lessons, contributes to their social and mental stability, and because of the physical gain competitive sports provides. These sports should enhance the sportsman spirit in children and must be beneficial for their mental and physical health. I had an experience while playing indoor soccer where the competitive aspect of the game made it less fun to play. Youth sports are not too intense. Youth Sports are getting so intense they are putting the lives of children in trouble. More than 26million children ages 6 to 17 played team sports in 2014(Rosenwald). Youth sports are very popular because it brings the great feeling of being on a team. That may mean traveling to tournaments or it may mean joining a recreational league. In the United States, about 20 million children and teens participate in some form of organized sports, more than 3.5 million children ages 14 and younger get hurt annually playing sports or participating in recreational activities (Lucile Parkland Childrens Hospital). Also found in that article is, the teamwork in sports offer a way for kids to compete for something together. Playing sports as a youth prepares them for future sports and gives them good sportsmanship character, but injuries are sometimes a part of that, The sport a child chooses could be rough on their growth. People were curious why this was happening, so studies were conducted to find out. He falls over in joy. When the child stops getting enjoyment out of the sport, then it is the parents job to take them out. Student athletes are not getting the opportunity to play multiple sports during the year, because they are expected to spelize in one sport and focus on it year round, leaving no opportunity to play other sports or do other activities. Students have pushed their bodies to the limits, causing extreme injury that will hold them back from sports in the future. These methods of playing the games like adults can prove to be lethal for physical and psychological health. Competition only makes children bound to be winners. Have you ever wanted to live an active and healthy life, as well as an improvement in grades? Do you play sports? Just to protect themselves some children back out of many games and are left behind when it comes to the development of their bodies. The passage Children need to play, not compete is a profound analysis of a variety of negative impacts that the competitive sports have on the life of children. Most parents believe that if they start their children off young, then their children will be more successful in whatever sport they are put into, but it can also cause their children to burn out and drop the sport by the time they are a teenager. (Are Youth Sports)Yet 45 million kids play organized and youth sports all across the world (Are Youth Sports). Uncovering the Reasons Kids Drop Out of Youth Sports, How to Increase Youth Sports Participation in Your Community, Youth Sports Parenting - 7 Ways to Support Young Athletes, How to Motivate a Youth Sports Team - 4 Tips to Drive Your Players, How Sports Team Management Software Helps Youth Sports, more than 3.5 million children under the age of 14 experience a sports-related injury each year, Single-sport athletes are 73 to 90 percent more likely to be injured, only 2% of high school athletes earn scholarships, f motivating them to work hard and be dedicated, 5 Things Young Athletes Can Learn from Pro Athletes, an outlet that lets them grow at an accelerated pace. In fact, sports promote more of a healthy lifestyle. Has your son claimed an injury but the doctor found nothing wrong? Some people argue that youth sports teach young athletes the value of teamwork and leadership. For those kids, playing on recreational teams dont provide enough challenge. Programs and coaches that overemphasize winning, early specialization, stress, and overuse injury are all problems in youth sports. No! This means that one in every four people are only playing one sport which can lead to injuries and psychological issues. My reasons of competitive sports being bad are that it can take up the participants time and it can pressure or overwhelm them in a sense of them being stressed. Between the years of 2008 and 2013, the total number of children participating in competitive sports has dropped by approximately 2.6 million. Competitive sports can help keep kids active and health as they grow, and other distractions increase that may lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, 7 out of 10 kids who play organized sports quit by age 13, according to the National Alliance for Youth Sports. Many people argue that playing sports is similar to playing piano, chess, or anything else: To be your best, you must practice. And very few college athletes go on to play at a professional level. Youth Sports are getting so intense they are putting the lives of children in trouble. Dr. William Speight also had this to say Many other kids have suffered paralyzing spinal injuries(Pennington). When considering the jump to a more competitive league, parents need to weigh many factors. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images (Serena Williams); Ken Levine/Getty Images (Serena as child). Kids look up to their parents and coaches and would never want to disappoint them. Children are playing just to win and the real spirit of the game fades out. Children are playing just to win and the real spirit of the game fades out. Children who participate in competitive sports at a young age experience more serious negative impacts than positives, including a risk of severe injury, losing, Children Need to Play, Not Compete, by Jessica Statsky is a thoughtful insight on the competitive sports for children. Many injuries are a result in this action. I believe that kids should be allowed to play competitive sports due to the health benefits, the lessons that they can teach, and as a result of the advanced equipment and rules that are focused on making sports safe, as well as the fact that sports can keep kids out of trouble. The question shouldnt be asking whether or not youth sports are too intense, it should be asking if it is worth it. It is a very controversial topic in our community today. While there may be some negatives to competitive sports, thats just life, and to add on to that; there are plenty of benefits which are sure to override to medias facts. Excessive pressure on young athletes is commonand dangerousaccording toPsychology Today. So, although youth sports are very demanding, and place large amounts of pressure on the shoulders of young athletes, they still have many benefits to children who participate in them. However, in recent years, there had been a heated debate about whether these sports are becoming too intense for young, developing athletes. Claims that youth sports are too intense are completely false, as many of the social benefits and life skills that adolescents benefit from come from the intensity of their sport. They have been more involved and effect the childs performance. Lastly. Some may say that too much pressure for youths can leave a negative impact on them. Theres a clear trend towards privatization and professionalization of youth sports. It doesnt feel like work.. Competitive sports involve sports where competition is encouraged, and where winning is more important than anything else. A major concern is that parents and coaches are popularizing and supporting the idea of always win at all costs (Christensen). Continuing, In a series of studies conducted at UCLA, Drs. The chances of playing a sport professionally are extremely slim. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports, over the past thirty years fractures increased by fifty-six percent in girls and thirty-two percent in boys (see figure 1). The only right answer is the one that works for your children and your family. Youth sports can seem like a full-time job for many kids. Middle school students are competing in competitive sports which both have a positive and negative side. With the intensity increasing, childrens time is decreasing. If youre putting pressure on your 4-year old at practice, youre doing it wrong. Kids should play competitive sports because competitive sports teach children powerful life lessons, contributes to their social and mental stability, and because of the physical gain competitive sports provides. But they can be the best fit for skilled athletes who need more challenges. Some may be crossing the boundaries of what sports are all about. Youth Sports Have Become Too Intense Over the past decade, youth sports have increasingly become more intense. They(the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and. More severe injuries occur during individual sports and recreational activities (Sports Injury Statistics). Are Youth Sports Too Intense? The amount of children participating in competitive sports has been on a steady decline in the past decade. Its definitely true that competitive sports can cause all sorts of injuries from big to small. Others burn out from all the pressure. As the intensity in youth sports increases, children begin to ignore the constant pains in their bodies to seem "tough" which leads to problems in their future. To greater risks in a sport professionally are extremely slim sports-related injury games like adults can prove be... Outweigh the drawbacks, or vice versa seem like a full-time job for many kids specialization the. 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